Windmill.



No. 677,273. Patented lune 25, IQOL M. C. ROBBINS.

WINDMILL.

-(A1',-p1ca.1:i m filed Dec. 15, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

' INV i, v lig 34 Wgesszs nAm'ys.

No. 677,273. Patentedflune 25, |901. m. c. Roms.

WINDMILL.

(Application led Dec. 15, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT '@rricri.

MICHAEL c. RoBBINs, or HARRisoNvILLE, MISSOURI, AssIGNOR or ONE- HALF To ANDREW e. DRAGON, or SAME PLACE.

WINDNIILL.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,273, dated J une 25, 1901.

Application iiled December 15, 1990. Serial No. 39,993. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL C. ROBBINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisonville, in the county of Cass and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Windmill, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to windmills; and one object of the invention is to provide an 1o arrangement of parts and a construction of details such as will produce a machine of high efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compact arrangement of the several parts and a construction and arrangement of governing mechanism which will be most accurate in its operation.

Additional objects of the invention relate to the construction of the wheel, the hanging zo and bracing of the vane, the starting and stopping mechanism, the gearing, and the automatic brake mechanism.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the mechanism at the upper end of the tower, the vane and the wheel being removed and the wheel-shaft being shown in section, the gov- 50 ernor being in the position to hold the vane with the wheel in operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the vane and of the wheel being shown, the cap of the tower and the hub of the wheel being in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the main casting with the tubular extension cast therein. Fig. 4; is an elevation showing the open face of the closed internal gear and the engaged pinion,

4o the shafts being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a view showing the head and stem of the vane in plan, as also the stem-braces, the stem being partly broken away, and showing also a portion of the main casting with its tubular extension in section. Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the internal gear with the brake mechanism connected therewith. Fig. 7 isa plan view of the yoke-lever with which the governor is connected for throwing the wheel 5o into and out of the wind. Fig. S is an elevation showing the wheel.

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the end of one of the blades of the wheel and illustrating the manner of attaching to one of the rims.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 repre- 55 sents the legs of the tower, and which legs are engaged at their upper ends with a cap 11, while at a point below the cap there is disposed a spider, including a central collar 12, having radiating arms 13, at the ends of which 6o are collars 1-1, which slidably engage the legs of the tower and are held against displacement by means of set-screws 15, engaged therewith and adapted to impinge the legs 10.

In the cap 11 and centrally thereof to aline 65 with the collar 12 there is formed a bearing 16, and mounted in this bearing and extending below the cap is an arm 17 of the main casting. The main casting comprises a plate .19, at one side of which is formed the arm 17, 7o

and in the lower end of this arm is formed a socket, in which is cast the upper end of a tubular extension 20, so that the casting and its extension are rigidly connected. The tubular extension has a bearing in the collar 12, through which it projects slightly, as shown. To prevent the arm 17 from dropping through the bearing 16, an annular iiange 22 is formed thereon and rests upon bearing- 8o balls 23, disposed in recesses 24 in the upper face of the cap 11. This connection permits the main casting to turn-freelyin its bearing while supporting the weight of the wheel, the vane, and other parts of the-mechanism. Centrally of the plate 19 and on the front face thereof there is formed a boss 25, and through this boss is formed a bearing for a short shaft 26, on which is fixed an internal gear 27, the side of the gear adjacent to the 9o rear face of the plate 19 being open, while the rear side of the gear is closed by a web, as shown, which sustains the teeth. On the rear face of the web and eccentric thereto is a crank-pin 29, from which the pump-rod is operated in a manner hereinafter described. At one side of the boss 25'is a second boss 30, in which is formed a bearing which receives the wheel-shaft 31, and on the rear end of this wheel-shaft, which passes through the roo plate 19, there is disposed a pinion 32, which meshes with the internal gear. Thus when the wheel-shaft is rotated by rotation of the wheel the internal gear is rotated at a lesser speed and the crank-pin is rotated bodily.

Extending radially from the plate 19 is a stud 33, and pivotedto this stud is one end of a walking-beam 34, the opposite end of said l ing adapted for movement in a plane paralbeam having pivotal connection with the pump rod 35, which latter passes down through the opening 37 in the arm 17 and which opening forms a continuation of the tubular extension 20, said rod being continued down and through said extension and outwardly at the bottom thereof and is connected with a pump in the usual manner therebelow. A connecting-rod 36 connects the crank-pin 29 with the walking-beam at a point between the ends of the latter, and thus as the crankpin is rotated the pump-rod is reciprocated.

The vane employed in the present construction is pivotally mou nted upon the flange 22 to lie at right angles to the plane of the wheel and for movement in one direction from this position to lie parallel with the plane of the Wheel. The vane comprises a head 38, havinga central socket 39, in which is disposed the end of a tube or rod 40, forming the stem of the vane and held in place by bolts or rivets 41, and the rear end of this stem is engaged with a socket 42 at the front edge of the feather of the vane. Arms 48 and 44 extend laterally from the head 3S and are provided with perforated ears 45 and 4G, in which are engaged tie-rods 47 and 48', which converge rearwardly to a common threaded the wind manually and for holding it in this position when the mill is to remain at rest, a sleeve 62 is splined upon the tubular extension 20 for sliding movement, and encircling stem 49, engaged with a perforated flange 50 on the feather of the vane, said stem having a nut, as shown, to prevent withdrawal thereot from the perforation of the flange. A third tie-rod 51 connects said ange with a bracket 52, bolted tothe main casting and extending thereabo-ve, said rod having an eye engaged with the extremity of this bracket, as shown, and. held in place by means of a nut cr key.

As abo-ve stated, the head of the vane is pivoted to the: flange 22', and this pivotal connection is made through the medium of a pivot pin or stud 53 on the flange, which is engaged with a corresponding perforation in the head aty the end of the socket in which, the stem is mounted. A stop 54 is cast upon the main casting, and against this stop rests the extremity of the arm 44 to prevent movement of the vane in one, direction from its position at right angles to the plane of the wheel, while it is free to move in an opposite direction save for the resistance offered by the governor. This governor consists of a rocker including two arms 55 and 5G, arranged at an obtuse angle to each other, and in line with the arm 55 and projecting rearwardly there.- froni there is a lug 57, to which is bolted the lever 58, on which is slidably mounted a counterbal'ancing weight 59, held against movement by means of a set-screw, as shown.

56 is one end of a link 60, the other end thereof having a hook engaged with a perforation at the outer end of a lug 61, forming a continuation of the arm 43 of the head of the vane. The rocker is pivoted at the free end of a bracket 62, forming a portion ofthe main casting, and the lower part of which forms the stop 54, above referred to, the rocker belel with the plane of the wheel of the mill. Under the iniiuence of the counterbalancingweight the rocker is operated to push upon the link 60 and force the vane around on its pivot to lie at right angles to the plane of the wheel, and when excessive pressure is brought against the wheel the main casting is turned in its bearing 16 by reason ofthe wheel-shaft being mounted at one sideot the said bearing. The feather of the vane, however, prevents it from leaving its position, and in consequence the rocker :is moved in the direction of the vane, with the result that the link (SO actuates the rocker to lift the counterbal ancing-weight- The weight returns the wheel into the `wind when the pressure diminishes,

as Well understood.

The peri-phery ot the internal gear 27 forms i a brake-drum', with which is engaged a brake strap 61', one end of which is secured to a stud upon the plate 19, while the other end is connected to the arm 55, and as the rocker Q is moved when the counterbalancing-Weight drops the strap is drawn into close t'rictional contact with the drum and acts to retard the speed of the mechanism.

To provide for throwing the wheel out of l' this sleeve is a yoke-lever 63, which is pivj oted tothe sleeve at diametrically opposite points thereof.. foted to a hanger-rod 64, the upper end of f which is engaged in a perforation in the cap 11,v and at the opposite end of the lever there g is attached a cord 65,l which is adapted tobe drawn down and engaged with a cleat in the Oneend of the4 lever is pivusnal manner. The lever is not pivoted directly to the sleeve, but to a collar G6', consisting of two semicircnl-arparts. connected at their ends by bolts 66, and which parts have f a groove formed in their inner faces', which receives a flange 67 on the sleeve. i sleeve is a perforated ear 68, with which is On the engageda rod 69, passed upwardly through the main casting and connected with the free end of the arm 55 of the rocker. Thus when the cord is drawn downwardly this rod is operated to move the rocker and swing the l wheel to l-ie parallel with the vane. the cord i-s released, the counterbalancingweight, which has been raised by this lastnamed movement of the wheel, drops and swings thewheel to lie at right angles to the f vane.`

Connected with the outer end of the arm WVhen The wheel that is used in the present construction consists of a hol-low frusto-conical IOO IIO

7l at its base. -The minor end of the hub is closed, and on the inner side of this closed end is formed a boss 72, through which is formed an opening '73 axially of the hub, and engaged with this opening is the forward reduced end of the wheel-shaft 3l, the shoulder 73, formed by reducing the end of the shaft, resting against the end of the hub. The shaft is held in engagement with the hub by means of a key 74.

Radiating from the hub 70 are a series of spokes, arranged in pairs, the elements 75 and '76 of the several pairs being rivetedy against the front and the iiange of the hub, respectively, as illustrated in the drawings. The elements of each pair are formed integral, with a connecting-web 77 at their outer ends, in the direction of which they converge, and the elements of each pair lie in a common plane with the shaft 3l.

At points intermediate of the ends of each pair of spokes there is riveted a cross-brace 78, lying parallel with the web at the ends of the spokes, and riveted to these cross-pieces of the several spokes is a circular supportingrim 79, a second and similar rim 8O being riveted to the webs of the several pairs of spokes. These two rims lie concentric with the wheelshaft.

The rims 79 and SO are supporting-rims for the blades 8l of the wh eel. Each of the blades rests with its inner narrowed end against the outer face of the inner rim 7 9, while the outer rim SO engages through an opening in the blade. The blade is held againstdisplacement from the rims by means of brackets 82 and 83. Each of these brackets consists of a sleeve 84, which is disposed on its respective rim and from `which projects a curved flange S5, which lies transversely of and at an acute angle to the rim, and this flange is riveted to the blade, so that eachl blade is held at an acute angle to the plane of rotation of the wheel in the usual manner, each blade, moreover, being slightly dished on its forward face.

There is thus provided a windmill that is automatic in its operation, simple in construction, and possessing a high etciency.

What is claimed isl. In a windmill, the combination with a support, of a main casting including a sleeve rotatably mounted in the support and a plate extending laterally from the axis of rotation ot' the sleeve, a wheel having a shaft rotatably mounted in the laterally-extendin g portion of the plate, a gear provided with a brake-drum and mounted upon the plate in operative engagement with the wheel, said casting having an opening therethrough concentric with its axis ot' rotation, a pump-rod passed through said opening and operatively connected with the gear for reciprocation thereby, a vane pivoted on the casting at one side of its axis of rotation and below the laterally-exten ding plate, said vane having an arm projecting therebeyond, a counterbalanced rocker mounted on the casting at the opposite side of the axis of rotation and movable in a plane at an angle to the operative position of the vane, a connecting-rod between the rocker and vane for holding the wheel yieldably in the wind, and a brake-band in operative relation to the drum and connected with the rocker for operation thereby.

2. A windmill comprising a main casting having a rotatably-mounted hollow arm, a wheel mounted upon the casting at one side of its axis of rotation, a gear operatively connected with the wheel and having a brakedrum, a walking-beam pivoted upon the casting and operatively connected with the gear, a pump-rod passed through the arm and connected with the beam, a vane pivoted on the casting and having an arm projecting therefrom, a rocker mounted upon the casting for movement in a plane parallel with the Wheel, connections between the rocker and the arm of the Vane, said rocker being mounted at the opposite side of the axis of rotation of the main casting from the arm of the vane, a counterbalance carried by the rocker for holding the vane yieldably at an angle to the wheel, and a brake-band operatively engaged with the brake-drum and connected with the rocker for operation thereby.

3. A vane for windmills comprising a head adapted for pivotal mounting and provided with a socket, a stem engaged in the socket, a feather having a socket in which the rear end of the stem is received, and a forked tierod having its stem adj ustably connected with the feather, said rod having its arms connected with the head at opposite sides ofthe socket.

4:. In a windmill, the combination with a support, of a main casting inclndinga sleeve rotatably mounted in the support, and a plate extending laterally from the axis of rotation of the sleeve, a wheel having a shaft rotatably mounted in the laterally-extending plate, said casting having an opening therethrough concentric with its axis of rotation, a pump` rod passed through said opening and operatively connected with the wheel for reciprocation thereby, a vane `pivoted on the casting at one side of the axis of rotation and below the laterally-extending plate, said vane having an arm projecting therebeyond, a counterbalanced rocker mounted on the casting at the opposite side of the axis of rotation and movable in a plane at an angle to the operative position Vof the vane, and a connecting-rod between the rocker and vane for holding the wheel yieldably in the wind.

5. Awindmillcomprisingamaincastinghaving a rotatably-mounted hollow arm, a wheel mounted upon the casting at one side of its axis of rotation, a walking-beam pivoted on the casting and operatively connected with the wheel, a pump-rod passed through the arm and connected with the beam, a vane pivoted on the casting and having an arm projecting therebeyond, a rocker mounted on the casting for movement in a plane parallel Ico IIO

with the Wheel, connections between the rocker and the arm of the vane, said rocker being mounted at the opposite side of the l axis of rotationl of the main casting from the armof the vane, and a eounterbalanee ear'- ried by the rocker for holding the vane yieldably at an angle to the Wheel.

6. Avane for Windmills comprising a head provided with a socket and having an arm projecting at eaeh side thereof and provided i with perforated ears, a stem engaged with the socket, a feather provided with a soeket in l which the stem is received, and a bi-ftueated tie-rodadj-ustably connected with the feather and having its arms engaged with the perforations of the ears, sai-d head having a pivot bearingk therein. Y

7.V A windmill comprising a tower inelnding a eap and supporting-legs, said cap having an opening therethrough and a spider engaged with the legs and having a bearingopening alining With the opening' of the cap, a main support disposed in the opening of the cap and provided with a tubular extension rotatably engaged With the opening of the spider, a sleeve splined on said extension and having a peripheral fiange, a tWo-part grooved collar engaged over the flange, alever pivoted to a supporting-leg and operatively connected with the collar for reciprocating the sleeve, and a starting and stopping mechanism connected With the sleeve for op-4 eration thereby When the sleeve is recipro-A cated.

In testimony that I Claim the' foregoing as my own have hereto affixed my signature in f the presence of two Witnesses. v

i MICHAEL C. RO 13B-INS.

Witnesses J. S. BRIERLY',

A. BoHo'N. 

